Opinion: Phone chargers an exciting addition to Ohio Stadium

A view of Ohio Stadium from the south stands during an OSU game against Wisconsin Sept. 28, 2013. OSU won, 31-24. Credit: Lantern file photo

For someone like me, whose phone is constantly at 3 percent battery, if not dead already, it’s exciting to hear about new charging stations available at Ohio Stadium.

But there were a few questions I had about the stations at first: When would I use it? How much would it cost? Do I even get cell service in the stadium?

These charging stations will definitely come in handy for when you lose your friends in the stadium and you try to make a call or send a text — and then you realize your phone is dead.

At the charging stations there will be portable chargers available for rental or purchase. You can also use Ohio State’s phone valet service. Drop your phone off, leave it to charge, and pick it up when you’re ready.

The valet service could raise concern for some people though. I would be nervous to leave my phone charging with a stranger, and I know I’m not the only one who keeps important information and more on my phone. But I guess desperate times call for desperate measures.

On top of paying money for a ticket to watch the game, I always end up buying stadium food and drinks, which — as we all know — can be pretty pricey. When hearing about the charging stations, I figured the prices would be through the roof. But it’s actually less expensive to use the valet phone charging service than it is to buy a large Coke.

The phone-charging valet service costs $5, whereas a stadium fountain soda costs $6.50. To rent the portable chargers, it costs the same as buying a sandwich from the Panera kiosks in the stadium — $9.

I was also thinking about how useless your phone really is in the stadium, though. With the ‘Shoe being packed with 107,000-plus people after a renovation that added 2,600 new seats, cell phone service isn’t great. Besides using my phone to take pictures of the game and record the OSU Marching Band, I don’t think I could use my phone for much else on gameday.

I know cell service in the stadium has improved in years past, but it still takes a little longer for your text to send or your Snapchat to go through.

At the end of the day, whether my phone is at 100 percent battery or completely dead, I’m in the ‘Shoe to watch the Buckeyes, not to play around on my phone.